Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.2665

c7.2665

3) Vasudeva's wedding. To Śūrasena, the Yādava King of Mathurāpurī was born a son called Vasudeva, and Devakī was born as the grand-daughter of Devaka, the brother of Ugrasena, another Yādava King. Devakī was the sister of Kaṃsa. Devakī was given in marriage to Vasudeva with a dowry of twelve bhāras (a particular weight) of gold and a chariot. Kaṃsa acted as charioteer in the wedding procession during which a celestial voice addressed Kaṃsa as follows :—'Asyāḥ tvām aṣṭamagarbho hantā' (Her eighth son will kill you). As soon as he heard the celestial voice Kaṃsa stood up in the chariot ablaze with rage. He caught hold of Devakī by her hair and raised his sword to cut her throat. All the conciliatory words of Vasudeva failed to pacify Kaṃsa. Then Vasudeva promised to hand over to Kaṃsa all the children born to Devakī immediately after their birth. Accordingly Kaṃsa left them alone.